Support for curtains and the like



Nov. 20, 1962 R. A. NOWELL SUPPORT Fok CURTAINS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 17, 1962 y; z'cardAMwel; 352,3 BT

' ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1962 R. A. Nowl-:LL 3,064,724

SUPPORT FOR CURTAINS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENTOR ATTORNEY United States arent fle Filed Ian. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 166,902 6 Claims. (Cl. 160-330) This invention relates to support for curtains and the like and particularly pertains to the type of such support embodying an elongated tubular rod having a slot extending throughout the length thereof and also embodying an elongated anchor strip from which a curtain is suspended with the strip arranged interiorly of the rod and with the curtain extending from the anchor strip through the slot in the rod and depending from the latter.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a highly eflicient mounting for detachably supporting the curtain rod in a horizontal position wherein the mounting embodies connectors detachably engageable with the portions of the rod forming the margins of the slot therein, wherein the connectors serve to clamp the curtain supporting anchor -strip within the rod and at the same time clamp the curtain and the rod relative to the mounting.

Another object is to provide a mounting for the curtain rod having frictional engagement therewith in such fashion that the interconnection betwen the `mounting and rod may be eiected at any point throughout the length of the rod without the-employment of bolts, screws or other extraneous fastenings, whereby the rod may be adjusted longitudinally transversely of the mounting and whereby a plurality of the mountings may be arranged at any desired distance apart along the length of the rod according to convenience. In the mounting of curtain rods as commonly practiced it is customary to employ supporting brackets for the curtain rod on which the rod is mounted in fixed relation to the bracket, thus necessitating forming the rod in telescoping sections to permit longitudinal adjustment of the rod to adapt it to various spacings of the supporting bracket necessitated by limited areas on a supporting structure, asa window frame, to which the rod supporting bracket may be attached. The present invention enables positioning of the supporting brackets in any desired spaced relation to each other and the application to the bracket of a one piece curtain rod and the positioning of the rod in any desired longitudinal relation to the brackets.

With'the foregoing objects and advantages in view together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear the invention resides in the parts, in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and set forth by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the curtain support with portions broken away, showing it applied;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of the curtain support;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a fragmentary portion of the curtain support showing the inner side thereof and depicting one of its mountings applied thereto;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view depicting a fragmentary portion of the anchor strip showing the manner of applying a curtain thereto;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view depicting the manner of applying the anchor strip and curtain to the tubular curtain rod;

FIG. 6 is a view in section and elevation illustrating the curtain rod separated from and contiguous its mounting and as disposed in readiness for application thereto;

iCS

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the curtain rod as applied to the mounting;

FIG. 8 lis a plan view of the curtain rod showing it as equipped at its ends with return bends;

FIG. 9 is a view in front elevation of the lstructure shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. l0 is a view in rear elevation of the curtain rod shown in FIG. 9 with the return bends removed;

FIG. ll is a perspective view of one of the return bends as seen from the inner side thereof; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view as seen on the line 12-12 of FIG. 10 showing an end portion of the curtain rod and depicting the manner of applying the return bend section thereto.

Referring to the drawings more specifically A indicates generally an elongated tubular curtain rod of general rectangular cross section one side of which has a slot 15 extending longitudinally of the rod throughout the length thereof, the rod having wall portions 16 and 17 having parallel margins a and b respectively bordering the slot 15.

The curtain rod when applied is extended horizontally with the wall portions 16-17 constituting the rear side of the rod and with the margin b lowermost.

A at curtain anchoring strip B is mounted interiorly of the rod A which strip extends approximately throughout the length of the rod and has a width slightly exceeding the width of the slot 15. The strip B affords a support for a curtain C which curtain has a tube C on its upper end into which the strip B is extended in telescopic engagement therewith, as indicated in FIG. 4. The strip B with the curtain C thereon is disposed interiorly of the rod A by inserting the strip B laterally through the slot 15 with the margin of the strip from which the curtain C depends presented foremost so that the curtain C will be draped over the margin b of the wall portion 17 of the rod, as particularly shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the strip B being manipulated to position it'within the rod A so that it spans the slot 15.

Means are provided for supporting Vthe rod A in a horizontal longitudinally extending position together with the assembled anchor strip B and the depending curtain C. This means comprises a plurality of mountings D each of which comprises a U-shaped bracket' embodying a pair of parallel or nearly parallel arms l18-18 projecting from an attachment plate 19 adapted to be fastened on the surface of a supporting structure E. Such fastening is eifected by means of screws 20 or the like passed through apertures 21 in the plate 19 and engaged With the supporting structure E with the arms 18-18 projecting from the wall E in spaced superimposed relation to each other.

The outer ends of the bracket'arms 18-18 terminate in connectors F adapted to be detachably engaged with the back wall portions 16-17 of the rod A. Each of the connectors F comprises a U-shaped saddle Z2 formed in continuation of the arm 18. The saddles 22 on the pair of arms 18-18 oppose each other so as to provide oppositely presented channels c-d which are adapted to be positioned astride the margin a and b on the Wall portions 16-17, the bottom walls of which channel c-d are normally spaced aparta distance slightly exceeding the width of the space between the margins a-b; the saddles being designed to be advanced toward each other to position the channels betwen the margins a-b. For this purpose the arms 18-18 are resiliently connected to the supporting plate 19 so that the outer ends of the arms may be swung toward and away from each other whereby the connectors F may be simultaneously sprung in and out of engagement with the curtain rod.

In applying the rod A to the mountings D the upper connectors F of a pair thereof are enagaged direct with the margin a of the wall 16 bordering the upper side of the slot 15, while the connector F on the lower arm 18 in engaging the wall portion 17 is imposed upon the portion of the curtain C extending astride the wall portion 17, thus serving the clamp the curtain in engagement with the wall 17 at the point of application of the connector F.

A feature of the invention resides in equipping the outer ends of the arms 18-18 in addition to the connectors F, with anchor strip engaging members G here shown as comprising protrusions in the form of return bends 23 on the outer walls of Ithe saddles 22, which protrusions are arranged to project into the rod A, when the latter is applied to the mountings D, such a distance as to abut against the curtain sheathed anchor strip B and act to crowd the latter against the inner face of the outer wall e of the rod A.

In some instances the rod A has its ends equipped with continuing end sections H of any desired contour, as indicated in FIGS. 8 to 12 inclusive, here shown as of general arcuate shape and constituting return bends leading from the ends of the rod A toward the surface of the supporting structure E. Each of the sections H has a cross section complementary in contour to that of the rod A, it having an open ended channel 15' on its inner side arranged to register at one end of the section H with the contiguous end of the channel 15 of the rod A.

lIn this instance, Where it is desired that the curtain C depend from the end sections H, the anchor strip B is of such length that its end portions will protrude from the ends of the rod A so that when the end sections H are applied, the end portions of the anchor strip will extend a suitable distance into the interiors of the end sections and the curtain C has a width such as to extend over a substantial length of the projecting end portions of the anchor strip, as indicated in FIGS. 10 and l2.

AsV a means for affording a connection between the end sections H and the ends ofthe curtain rod A each of the sections H has a reduced end portion 24 arranged to slidably extend into the adjacent end of the curtain rod in telescopic frictional engagement therewith, whereby the end sections are securely held in place on the curtain rod.

'In assembling the end sections H on the ends of the rod A they are advanced endwise over the curtain sheathed protruding end portions of the anchor strip B as indicated in FIG. 12. In so doing the side portion of the curtain C depending from the extending portion of the anchor strip B is fed into and along the slot During this operation the extending Vend portion of the anchor strip B is exed to conform to the curvature of'the'end extension H as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. l2.

In the application and operation of the invention, a plurality of the mountings D are arranged in horizontal alignment on the supporting structure E with adjacent members suitably spaced apart. 'I'he outer ends of the pair of arms 18-18 of each mounting Dare advanced toward each other, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 6, whereupon the curtain rod A with the assembled strip B and curtain C is presented, with Vthe slot 15 foremost tothe connectors F as'rindicated in FIG. 6, and is advanced so that the margins aK-b on the wall portions 16-17 will be disposed astride the Vconnectors F with the margin a-b presented to the channels c-d of the connectors, whereupon the relatively contracted arms 18-178 are released to permit the arms to advance outwardly relative Vto each other4 under their normal tensions, thereby causing the connectors F to have clamping engagement with the wall portions 16-17 ofthe curtain rod.

In applying the curtain rod A to the connectors F the protrusions 23 on the outer ends of the latter are brought into abutting engagement with the -curtainsheathed anchor Y strip B so as to press Vthe latter against the outer wall E ofthe curtain rod as' shown in FIG. 7, therebyV clamping the anchor strip against movement relative to the rod.

f In addition tothe recited feature of the connectors F on the mounting D serving to clamp the anchor strip and curtain relative to the curtain rod A, another feature is the adaptability of the connectors being attached to the curtain rod by snap-on engagement therewith at any point throughout the length of the rod, whereby the mountings D may be arranged in any suitable spaced relation to each other according to convenience, and whereby, by reason of the frictional connection between the curtain rod and the mountings D, the rod may be adjusted longitudinally relative to the mountings as occasion may require.

Frictional interconnection between the connectors F and the curtain rod A obviate use of screws or similar extraneous fastenings.

The rod A and anchor strip B may be formed of any suitable material, such as sheet metal, or plastic, the rod A being rigid while the anchor strip B may be either rigid or flexible as occasion may require. The mounting brackets D may be formed of either metal or plastic material of a character Such as Vto impart the essential resiliency to the arms 18-18 or in theirjuncture with the supporting plate 19.

I claim:

l. lIn a curtain support,

an elongated tubular rod having a longitudinal slot extending throughout the length thereof,

said rod having spaced apart wall portions on one side Y thereof having parallel margins bordering said slot,

`a curtain anchoring strip positioned within said rod spanning said slot and having a curtain sheathed thereon extending through said slot and overlying one of said margins. Y

a plurality of curtain rodrmountings each comprising a pair of spaced arms having resiliently supported inner ends,

and connectors on the outer ends of said arms frictionally engaged with the margins of said slot,

the pair of arms of each mounting being moveable relative to each otherV to dispose said connectors in and out of engagement with said curtain rod.

2. The structure called for in claim l together with protrusions on said connectors engageable with the curtain sheathed anchor strip in clamping engagement therewith.

3. The structure called for in claim 1 together with slotted contoured end sections on said rod into which curtain sheathed end portions of said anchor strip project with portions of the curtain carried thereon extending through the slot of said end sections and depending therefrom.

4. In a curtain support,

an elongated tubular rod embodying a back wall `having avlongitudinal slot extending throughout the length thereof,

Said back wall having spaced apart parallel margins bordering said slot, i

an anchor strip in said rod,

a curtain having a tube on one Vend, margin thereof sheathing said anchorstrip,

said curtain leading from said anchor strip through said slot in overlying relation to one Yof the marginsV of the back wall of said rod and dependingfromV the latter, Y Y

a plurality of mountings Veach embodying a pair of spaced members having their inner ends resiliently supported, y

U-shaped saddles on the outer ends of said Vside members positioned astride` the margins of said back wall and engaging the latter under tension, Y

and end protrusions on said saddles abutting said curtain sheathed anchor strip and pressing the latter against said rod.

5. In a support for curtains and the like, Y

a plurality Vof curtain Vrod mountings eachcomprising a bracket having a pair of spaced superimposed resiliently supported arms,

curtain rod engaging saddles on the outer ends of said arms having oppositely presented transverse channels,

a tubular curtain rod embodying a side wall having a slot bordered by parallel margins extending longitudinally of the rod throughout the length thereof, said margins being seated in the channels of said saddles in frictional engagement therewith,

and means interiorly of said rod for engaging and Supporting a curtain extended into said 'rod between said spaced walls.

6. The structure called for in claim 5 together with protrusions on said saddles having abutting engagement with a curtain engaged by said last named means for clamping said means and curtain within said rod.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lalus Dec. 18, 1906 Schollmeyer June 16, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 5, 1926 Austria July 10, 19611 

